


all the way home i'll be warm

by HyperchaoticStarlight (MVPYurio)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Pepper Potts, Christmas, Cuddling, Fluff and Angst, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Multi, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro, Science Boyfriends, Science Bros, Science Bros Secret Santa 2018, Scienceshipping, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-05 09:19:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16807789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MVPYurio/pseuds/HyperchaoticStarlight
Summary: Tony invites his friends to Howard's Christmas party. Things don't quite go as planned.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MCUsic_to_my_ears](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/gifts).



> Hey folks! This is my contribution to the Science Bros Secret Santa.
> 
> MASSIVE thanks to Amber ([tumblr](https://just-banner.tumblr.com/) • [Ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pourmyselfoverhim/pseuds/Tired%20Science%20Bro)) for organizing this event, and to Bee ([tumblr](https://beemotionpicture.tumblr.com/) • [Ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beemotionpicture/pseuds/beemotionpicture)) for running the Discord server with me! <3 <3 <3 <3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony was just trying to be a good kid....

Tony was just trying to be a good kid.

Sure, he knew it was damn near impossible to be  _ enough  _ for Howard, for Howard to be truly satisfied with anything about him, but he could still try, and he still wanted to try.

How stupid was  _ that? _

But hey, it was also nice to be out of the house and away from Howard and his friends… and the booze, although Jarvis and Mrs. J were the only people who cared about that, really.

So there he was, shoveling snow out of the driveway so that the Ferraris and the Lamborghinis and the BMWs could leave in a few hours, sated and tipsy and ready to call Stark Industries on January 2nd.

He had no clue how long he’d been out there, because who the hell could tell what time it was? December in New York meant that the sun went down  _ stupid  _ early, so it was pitch black, but that was meaningless, and of course, he’d been dumb enough to leave his phone inside, and he hated wearing a watch.

Whatever. The longer he could stay out, the better.

Although, it was getting cold, and the doctor had told him fifty million times, ever since he was a little kid, that he couldn’t stay out in the cold too long. Joys of a congenital heart defect. His doctor probably wouldn’t even approve of him being out in the cold and shoveling snow with no one to keep an eye on him.

But his doctor wasn’t here, and neither was anyone else, and Tony liked it better that way, really. The cold sucked, and he hated that Howard had asked him to shovel  _ after  _ he had been forced into the stupid suit for the party because this thing was  _ not  _ meant for being out in the snow. Why did he even need to wear the suit, anyway? Howard let him have friends over during the party anyway, so he’d be out of the way.

Oh, right, because Pepper was coming. Ugh.

Hey, at least his friends would be there soon. Maybe. They said they’d be there at five. Was that soon? Who could tell; it was  _ pitch fucking black. _

The wind was getting stronger, and the snow was starting to fall again. Great. At this rate, he’d be here all night.

_ Focus, Tony. You’re seeing Rhodey and Pepper and Nat and Bruce soon. Maybe you’ll even get to kiss Bruce under the mistletoe. _

Yeah, like  _ that _ was going to happen. He and Bruce had been dating eight months, but as far as Tony was aware, there was absolutely no mistletoe anywhere in the house. Unless Jarvis or Mrs. J or someone else in the house was hiding some, or Rhodey brought it to be an asshat.

Well, he’d get to kiss Bruce anyway.  _ That’s it, Tony. Focus on kissing Bruce and snuggling under the blankets with him. _

But focusing was getting harder and harder as the cold set in. Tony swore he could feel it  _ in his brain,  _ behind his eyes and pressing into his skull. At some point, the wind had seized his hat and flung it far away. He was losing his grip on the shovel, and every time the drive seemed clear, he noticed another spot that needed attention.

“Gotta… stop… being… such… a perfectionist,” he muttered. He closed his eyes for a moment, clinging to the shovel as he jammed it into the ground.  _ Breathe, Tony. You can finish this. You can do it. _

He had to.

He had to.

He had to.

~~~~

“Jesus Christ, Rhodey, how can you see in this?” Bruce asked incredulously.

“Lots of practice,” said Rhodey. “Gotta drive my sister back and forth from dance practice when Mama’s busy.”

“I guess you have to be a damn good driver if you have the wrath of Mama Rhodes at stake,” Bruce teased.

“Forget Mama’s wrath,” said Rhodey. “Kiarah’s got a wrath of her own, and if she’s one second late to dance, I won’t hear the end of it for three days—oh my fucking God.”

“What—oh.” Bruce turned around to see that Natasha had unbuckled her seatbelt and was now crawling across the seat to get at Pepper. “Classy, Nat.”

“Classy is Pepper’s job and always has been,” Natasha retorted as she snaked her arms around Pepper’s neck, Pepper wrapping her arms around Natasha’s waist with equal enthusiasm.

“You’re gonna get yourself killed, babe,” said Pepper.

“What else is new?” Natasha asked.

“Yeah, but actually, sit the fuck down,” said Rhodey. “I am not having anyone die in my car.”

“You’re no fun,” Natasha muttered as she crawled off of Pepper’s lap and strapped herself back into her seat.

“You’ll have plenty of time to make out when we get to the house,” Bruce reminded her.

“Great,” said Rhodey. “So I’ll have you and Tony making out on my left, and Nat and Pepper making out on my right. I’m gonna have tons of fun, aren’t I.”

“Absolutely,” said Natasha. “Best Christmas ever.”

“God, this street is absurd,” Bruce said as they turned onto Tony’s street. And indeed, it was absolutely ridiculous, lined with gargantuan mansions covered in lights that looked like they took three hours and five underpaid workers to put up. It was gaudy and glitzy and utterly ostentatious, and at the end of the street, bigger and brighter than all the others, stood the Stark mansion.

“You’re not wrong,” said Natasha. “Hey, at least all the lights make it easier to see out here.”

“Hey, hang on,” said Bruce. “Do you see that?”

“See what?” Pepper asked.

“Over by Tony’s place. There’s someone outside. Rhodey, be careful.”

“What—oh, yeah, I see.” Rhodey leaned forward, trying to make out the figure in the distance. “Holy shit. I think that’s  _ Tony _ out there.”

“No,” said Bruce. “Can’t be—oh, wait, hang on—shit. Shit, you’re right. That looks like Tony. What’s he doing out there?”

“Will you two stop moving back and forth?” Pepper asked. “I can’t see.”

“I think he’s shoveling,” said Rhodey. “The hell is he doing that for?”

“Shoveling?” Natasha craned her neck to get a better look. “Yeah, you’re right. That’s Tony out there, and he’s shoveling the driveway out.”

“That’s weird,” said Bruce. “Shouldn’t he be inside, wearing a monkey suit?”

“He should be inside, period,” said Pepper. “It’s freezing out. His doctor’s said a million times that he can’t be out in the cold by himself.”

“Well, you can tell him off when we get to him,” said Rhodey. He approached the drive, but Tony didn’t move. “C’mon, Tony, get out of the way.”

“Honk at him,” Natasha suggested. Rhodey honked, but Tony continued to—

“That’s not shoveling,” said Pepper. “He’s wandering around with a shovel. Rhodey, just pull up to the side.”

Rhodey pulled the car up to the side of the road. Almost as soon as he’d stopped, all four of the teenagers scrambled out of the car to get to Tony.

“Tony, what are you doing?” Pepper asked. “Why are you out here?” She tapped Tony’s shoulder, and it was only then that he turned to face her. “Crap.”

Tony’s eyes were glassy, unfocused, looking through Pepper as opposed to at her. His skin was pale; his lips were turning blue.

“He has hypothermia!” Pepper shouted. Immediately, the others were at her side.

“Call 911,” said Bruce.

“No time,” said Pepper. “Ambulance won’t get out here in time. We have to drive him to the ER ourselves.”

“Wha—?” Tony blinked slowly, unsteady on his feet.

“Tony, we have to take you to the hospital,” said Pepper.

“M’fine,” Tony mumbled.

“No, you’re really not,” said Bruce, lightly cupping Tony’s cheek. “Oh my God, you’re freezing.”

“Fuss over him in the car,” said Pepper. “We have to move.”

“Alright, here’s the plan,” said Pepper. “Everyone listen because we only have time for me to go through this once. Rhodey and I have brought Tony to this ER before. It’s gonna be crowded as hell, but the good news is that this place is laid out brilliantly and the staff is pretty nice—and they know us. I’m going to go with Tony into triage and stay with him when he’s placed in a room. Rhodey, I know you’re not as comfortable on registration, but they should have all of his records on file. Bruce, Natasha, you’re going to go to the waiting room and wait there until they let you in.”

“Want Bruce to come with me,” Tony whined.

“Tony, she’s gonna be better at helping you answer all of the questions the nurse will ask you,” Bruce explained. “She knows a lot more about those kinds of things than I do.”

“Also, she’s got the Pepper Voice,” Rhodey added, shooting a look over his shoulder at Tony before turning back to the road. “She’s gonna make sure that you get everything you need and that there’s no bullshit.”

“Hell in high heels,” said Natasha.

“Hell in high heels who’s gonna make damn sure that those nurses let Bruce, Rhodey, and Nat in your room as quickly as possible,” Pepper finished. “It’s all gonna be okay, I promise.”

“You’re gonna be okay, Tony,” said Bruce, taking Tony’s hand and kissing it—god, he really was freezing.

“So, any questions on the plan?” Pepper asked. “Nope? Good. Let’s do it.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony? In the hospital? It's more likely than you think.

“Come in,” Pepper called softly, smoothing the blankets around Tony for the zillionth time. The last ten minutes had been a total whirlwind, with three nurses bustling around to get him out of his soaking wet suit and into a hospital gown (and of course they just had to send _male_ nurses; Pepper was all for male nurses but Tony did _not_ like men he didn’t know touching him), and then Tony had to have IVs and monitors and all sorts of _stuff,_ and Tony was already stressed from trying to answer everyone’s five million questions to the point where Pepper had to take over while simultaneously keeping Tony from having a panic attack, and then everyone was gone, saying that there was a shift change and Tony’s new nurse would be in shortly.

“Is that the new nurse?” Tony asked.

“I’m not sure,” said Pepper.

The door opened to reveal a woman in a nurse’s uniform. “Hey there,” she said. “I’m Christie, your new nurse.”

“I’m Pepper,” said Pepper. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Hi,” Tony mumbled, eyes half closed.

“Still a little out of it, then,” said Christie. “That’s okay. But I need you to stay awake for me, okay?”

“I wanna sleep,” Tony whined.

“That’s a new one,” Pepper teased. “I’m very proud of you for wanting to sleep once in your life, but you need to listen to Christie, okay?”

“I can get you something to eat,” Christie suggested. “Are you hungry?” Tony shrugged.

“That’s Tony-ese for yes,” said Pepper.

“Where’s Bruce?” Tony asked, frowning.

“In the waiting room,” said Pepper.

“Wanna see him.”

“Christie, can our friends come in?” Pepper asked.

Christie sighed. “Technically, you’re not even supposed to be in here,” she said. “Not without parental consent.”

Instantly, Tony froze, his face turning white. “No. No, you can’t. Please—”

“Tony, breathe,” Pepper said gently. “Is it okay if I explain?”

“You can’t tell him,” Tony begged, trembling underneath his blankets. “Pepper, she can’t—”

“What’s wrong, honey?” Christie asked. She grabbed a chair from the side of the room and pulled it over to sit by Tony. “Listen, if you or your friend can explain why we can’t call home, I’ll do what I can for you.”

“Can I explain?” Pepper asked again. Tony nodded. “Here’s the deal, Christie. Tony’s mom is no longer with us, and his dad is… well, he’s got issues. He’s the reason Tony has hypothermia in the first place.”

“I was shoveling snow for him,” Tony added, staring at the ceiling. “He probably thinks I’m still out there, and he doesn’t care because he’s having a party.”

“I see,” said Christie.

“Tony, is it okay if I talk to Christie in private?” Pepper asked. “I know there are some things that will upset you to say or hear, but she has to know so she can do her job.”

“It’s all going to be okay,” Christie promised. “My job is to keep you safe and healthy, and if that means bending the rules for you, I’ll do what I have to do.”

Tony looked over at Pepper and nodded.

“Okay,” she said. “I’m just gonna stand right over there in the corner with her, okay?”

Tony watched as Pepper and Christie talked in hushed tones, trying not to cry. He knew that Pepper wasn’t going to leave anything out, and it _hurt,_ just thinking about it all.

A few moments later, Christie came back over. “Alright, so here’s the deal,” she said. “We’re not going to call your dad, because that’s clearly going to make this situation worse.” Tony sighed in relief. “You were really scared that we were gonna call him, huh? That’s enough for me to make sure it doesn’t happen. However, if you want your friends to come into the room with you, we do need to talk to an adult who can take responsibility for all of you.”

“Jarvis?” Pepper suggested. “Or maybe your aunt?”

“Aunt Peg is out of the country, and Jarvis is probably up to his eyes in party stuff. Mrs. J, too.”

“Hey, hang on,” said Pepper. “Can it be one of our parents?”

“Sure,” said Christie. “As long as they know all of you.”

Pepper and Tony looked at each other and grinned. “Mama Rhodes,” they said simultaneously.

“Our friend Rhodey’s mom,” Pepper explained. “I have her number in my phone.”

“Alright,” said Christie. “I’m gonna get you some food, and then I’ll call. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll let your friends come in now. I’m sure you’re plenty responsible.”

“Tony’s the only irresponsible one,” said Pepper. “And I don’t think he’ll be causing much trouble.”

“I’m sure he won’t,” said Christie. “Alright, Tony, I’m gonna bring Pepper here to the waiting room so we can grab your other friends, and then I’m gonna do all that other stuff. Sound good?”

Tony nodded eagerly, but he didn’t smile.

~~~~

It had been at least twenty minutes since Pepper had brought Tony into the triage room, and Bruce was becoming more and more agitated by the minute. Rhodey had joined him and Natasha in the waiting room about ten minutes ago and said that Pepper had texted him that they were in a room and just to wait in the waiting room for a bit.

Natasha nudged Bruce’s shoulder gently. “Hey, it’s okay. Pepper will have us in there in no time.”

“I’m really worried,” Bruce said quietly. “Tony was so cold when we found him—I thought he was going to die.”

“Well, that’s not going to happen,” Natasha said firmly. “He’s in a room, and Pepper’s with him. She’d text us right away if there was a problem.”

Bruce nodded, staring down at his feet. Natasha laced her fingers in his. “Tony’s gonna be fine, Bruce. He’s got us.”

“And I’m sure we’ll get to see him soon,” Rhodey added. “Pepper’ll make sure of it.”

Sure enough, two minutes later, they heard heels clicking against the linoleum, and Pepper was waving them over from the entrance to the hallway.

“Is he okay?” Bruce asked in lieu of a hello.

“He’s fine,” said Pepper. “He’s really excited to see you. Hey, Rhodey, is your mama home? We need an adult to take responsibility for us being in Tony’s room.”

“Yeah, she’s home,” said Rhodey. “And forget _take responsibility;_ she may well drive out here as soon as she knows Tony’s in the hospital.”

“Sounds about right,” Pepper chuckled. “Alright, let’s go.”

~~~~

Tony was close to crying again.

He knew it was dumb; he was _fine,_ but he was tired and hungry and he didn’t want to be alone, and Christie had told him he couldn’t sleep, but he just wanted to sleep, and he wanted—

“Tony!”

And then suddenly there _he_ was, leaning over Tony and resting their foreheads together, pressing a warm hand against Tony’s cheek. “Jesus Christ, Tony, I was so fucking worried—”

 _“Bruce,”_ Tony whispered, leaning into Bruce’s hand, into the softness and the warmth he’d been craving.

Bruce tilted his head up so he could kiss Tony’s forehead. “I’m here, Tony. I’m right here.”

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” said Bruce. “How’re you feeling?”

“Cold. Tired. I—” Tony broke off, tears starting to fall, and it felt awful but was a relief. “I was scared—I thought I was gonna die.”

“I was scared too,” Bruce admitted. “But you’re safe, and you’ve got a bunch of blankets, and I heard your nurse is going to get you something to eat.”

“And I have more good news,” said Rhodey. “Just got a text from Mama. She said that we can all go over to my house after they let you out of the hospital.”

“That sounds great,” said Bruce. “See, Tony? Everything’s gonna be okay.”

Tony nodded, but he still had tears in his eyes. “I wanna sleep,” he said. “I’m so tired; I just wanna sleep.”

“Is there a reason you can’t?” Bruce asked.

“Nurse says his body temperature hasn’t gone up enough,” Pepper explained.

“Ah. Yeah, Tony, you have to wait. It’s not safe for you to go to sleep yet.”

“Please,” Tony begged, and Bruce almost wanted to cry himself because Tony Stark only begged when he was truly at his worst, his lowest, his most miserable. “I’m so tired, Bruce; I just wanna sleep—”

“I know,” Bruce said softly, stroking Tony’s hair. “I know you do, but you have to stay awake for me. It’s not safe.”

But it wasn’t enough. All of the fear, the exhaustion, the pain, the _everything_ had finally caught up to Tony and was bursting forth in heaving, heartbreaking sobs.

“Just let him cry,” Pepper said quietly when Bruce looked over at her. “He needs to every once in a while.”

Bruce nodded and went back to stroking Tony’s hair, his other hand resting on Tony’s shoulder.

“Oh goodness, what on earth happened in here?”

Bruce turned around to see that Christie had reappeared, carrying a bowl of soup.

“He’s tired,” Pepper explained.

“I see—oh, you poor thing. Hey, we’re almost there, okay? You’re almost warm enough to go to sleep.” Christie came over to Tony. “I’m gonna put your table up so you can eat this, alright? I promise, getting some food in you will help—and it’s nice hot soup, so it’ll help you warm up even faster.”

“Hear that, Tony?” Bruce asked, kissing his forehead again. “You’re almost there.”

“I’m tired,” Tony cried.

“I know, sweetheart,” said Bruce. “I know you are. You’re doing so well, Tony. I’m so proud of you.”

Meanwhile, Pepper and Natasha were quietly grabbing their coats. They had a brief whispered conversation with Rhodey, and then they left.

“Too many cooks,” Rhodey mouthed when Bruce looked over at him in confusion.

Bruce nodded and turned back to Tony. “C’mon, Tony,” he urged gently. “I need you to eat this now.”

“Can I sleep after?” Tony asked.

“If you’re warm enough—yes. Yeah, Tony. You can sleep after.”

Tony nodded and took a few sips of the broth, his hands shaking slightly.

“There you go, love,” Bruce encouraged.

“How long have you two been together?” Christie asked.

“About eight months,” said Bruce. “But I’m pretty sure I’ve loved him since the day we met.”

“That’s so sweet,” said Christie. “I’m gonna leave you guys now, okay? I’ll be back in a little bit to check in again.”

“Okay,” said Bruce. “Thanks for the soup.”

It took twenty minutes, but eventually Tony finished his soup. “Feel a little better?” Bruce asked.

Tony nodded, wiping a few tears away. “Where did Pepper and Nat go?”

“They had some stuff to do,” said Rhodey. “Either they’re gonna come back here, or they’ll meet us at my house.”

“Oh.”

“You’ll see them again,” Rhodey promised. “But for now you have us. Is that okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, look,” said Bruce, pointing to the monitor with Tony’s vitals. “Almost back to normal. I bet you can go to sleep now, but we should wait for Christie to say it’s okay—hey, speak of the devil.”

“Oh, look at those vitals!” Christie said brightly as she walked in. “Looks like you’re okay to go to sleep. Thank you so much for being so patient.”

“And brave,” Bruce added. “You’ve been so brave, Tony. I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” said Tony. “I can really sleep now?”

“You sure can,” said Christie. “I’m just gonna take this bowl off your hands, and then you can have some well-deserved rest.”

“Hey, Rhodey,” Tony said with a weak smile. “Can you. Can you do the thing?”

“Oh, good god,” Rhodey groaned. “Really, Tones?”

“Mhm. C’mon, Honeybear. I nearly _died._ I think I’ve earned it.”

“What’s the thing?” Bruce asked.

“You’re about to find out,” said Rhodey. “Okay, here we go. You fucking suck, Stark.” He cleared his throat and began to recite.

_The cats nestle close to their kittens,_   
_The lambs have laid down with the sheep._   
_You’re cozy and warm in your bed, my dear._   
_Please go the fuck to sleep._

“Oh my God,” Bruce said, nearly choking on laughter. Rhodey ignored him, continuing.

_The windows are dark in the town, child._   
_The whales huddle down in the deep._   
_I’ll read you one very last book if you swear_   
_You’ll go the fuck to sleep._

“He has the whole thing memorized,” Tony whispered, eyes sparkling.

_The eagles who soar through the sky are at rest_   
_Like the creatures who crawl, run, and creep._   
_I know you’re not thirsty. That’s bullshit. Stop lying._   
_Lie the fuck down, my darling, and sleep._

_The wind whispers through the grass, hon._   
_The field mice, they make not a peep._   
_It’s been thirty-eight minutes already._   
_Jesus Christ, what the fuck? Go to sleep._

As Rhodey continued to recite, Tony found himself drifting off, lost in the cadence of Rhodey’s voice and the gentleness of Bruce’s fingers as they tangled in his hair again. He finally felt warm again, his bed surprisingly comfortable for a hospital, and the blankets perfect and warm and _fluffy;_ they’d found him _fluffy_ blankets…

_The cubs and the lions are snoring,_   
_Wrapped up in a big snuggly heap._   
_How come you can do all this other great shit_   
_But you can’t lie the fuck down and sleep?_

_The seeds slumber beneath the earth now_   
_And the crops that the farmers will reap._   
_No more questions. This interview’s over._   
_I’ve got two words for you, Stark: fucking sleep._

“Nice touch,” Bruce said, looking over at Rhodey and giving him a thumbs-up. He looked back at Tony to see that he had fallen asleep, his lips parted just slightly. Bruce wiped a few leftover tears away from Tony’s face and smiled. “God, you’re beautiful.”

“He’s lucky to have you,” said Rhodey. “The last eight months have been the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”

“I’m the lucky one,” Bruce replied. “He’s just so _good,_ Rhodey. So gentle and kind. I love him so much.”

“And he loves you,” said Rhodey.

“Okay, so where did Pepper and Nat go?” Bruce asked. “I know you said ‘too many cooks,’ but where did they go?” Rhodey began to snicker. “What?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper has had enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, this chapter was fun to write! I love me some BAMF Pepper Potts.
> 
> This is the second to last chapter; I'll be revealing who my person is with the last chapter on the 18th—after I'm done with my first ever college finals!

“Ah, Virginia,” Howard said as Pepper entered the room. He stood up and walked over to her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “Ladies, gentlemen, I’m sure some of you have met Miss Virginia Potts?” A few people nodded. “If I had my way, she’d be working for me already.”

“Hello,” said Pepper, tucking a bit of perfectly waved hair behind her ear. “I remember some of you.”

“Virginia, have you seen Anthony?” Howard asked. “I had expected him to come with you to meet my guests.”

“Funny story,” said Pepper. “He’s in the ER.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I said, he’s in the ER. In the hospital.” Pepper shrugged Howard’s arm off and turned around, her heels high enough to look him in the eye. “You see, Mr. Stark, when Bruce, James, Natasha, and I arrived at your mansion, we found Tony shoveling snow out of the drive.”

“Oh, yes, I asked him to do that,” Howard said casually.

“And when did you do that?” Pepper asked. “When did you ask him?”

Howard shrugged. “A few hours ago, maybe?”

“Well, he’d developed hypothermia,” said Pepper. “He nearly passed out when we got here.”

“Why didn’t he come inside, then?” Howard asked. “If he was getting too cold, why didn’t he come in?”

“Because he hadn’t finished shoveling the driveway,” said Pepper. “He was trying to do what you asked.”

 _“What?!”_ Howard asked incredulously. “You’re telling me he didn’t finish?”

Pepper blinked a few times, dumbfounded. “Seriously? _That’s_ your biggest problem with this scenario? Your son has _hypothermia._ We had to take him to the hospital.”

“Still don’t understand why that was necessary,” said Howard. “I’m sure Jarvis could have cared for him here.”

Fire began to build in the pit of Pepper’s stomach. “Because he has a _heart condition,_ Mr. Stark. Had we gotten to him even ten minutes later, he would have died.”

“He’s probably fine,” Howard said flippantly.

That was it. Pepper stepped even closer, her eyes shooting daggers directly as Howard. “Y’know what, Mr. Stark? I’m not even surprised at the way you’re acting right now. James and I have been Tony’s best friends for the better part of a decade, and you have _always_ been like this. You didn’t even _know_ he had a heart condition, did you? Because someone else has always handled those kinds of things. Keeping your child alive? Nah, that’s someone else’s job.”

“Miss Potts—”

“Oh, I’m not done,” Pepper interrupted, her voice growing just a little louder. “I am nowhere _near_ done, Mr. Stark. How many times have I been here to hang out with Tony, my friend, and you’ve whisked me away to a Board meeting, without even saying hello to Tony, much less inviting him to come along? How many times have you gone on and on to everyone you know about how clever I am and how you want me to run your company, right in front of him? How many times have I lingered just a second after I’m supposed to leave, _just a second,_ and you’re _already_ yelling at Tony over _nothing?_ How many times, Mr. Stark? How many times have I watched you tear your only child down over and over while giving him _nothing_ in the way of kindness? How many times has he come to school and hid in the bathroom and cried? Do you know, Mr. Stark? Do you count?”

“Do you?” Howard retorted.

“I shouldn’t have to,” said Pepper. “Tony’s not my son. He’s yours. And I really wish he weren’t, because he deserves better.” Pepper paused for a moment, trying to decide if she wanted to articulate her next thought. The fury was still bubbling up inside, and there was something she’d wanted to say for a long time.

Fuck it. It had to be said.

“Y’know what, Mr. Stark?” she said, leaning a little closer, her voice dropping just a decibel. “Tony always says he wishes you and Maria hadn’t gotten into that car crash. He wishes that he could just have both of his parents, that everyone could be alive and it could be okay. But y’know what I wish, Mr. Stark?” She paused again, just for a moment. “I wish it had been you.”

Everyone in the room gasped. Howard stood up straighter, his eyes flashing dark. “How _dare_ you, Miss Potts,” he seethed, and he raised his hand, threatening to strike… and Pepper just laughed.

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that, Mr. Stark,” she said sweetly, perfectly made-up face lighting up in a smile. “Because, you see, if you look to your right, you’ll see Natasha, filming this entire thing on her cell phone. If you look to your left, you’ll see half of your Board. And if you look behind you, you’ll see… one, two, three, four, five different people who are interested in doing business with Stark Industries. Ideally, they won’t like seeing you slap a young woman, or at the very least they won’t want to be in a video of you slapping a young woman. So I would put your hand down, Mr. Stark, and then I would walk away and sit down. Sound good?”

Howard opened his mouth, and then he closed it, walking back to his seat and sitting down.

“Much better. And as for the rest of you…” Pepper looked around the room, at all of the people in their suits with their mixed reactions. “Think about what you’ve just seen.” She looked over at Natasha. “C’mon, Nat. Let’s go.”

And with that, she turned on her heel, bright red dress swirling around her, and she marched away, taking Natasha’s hand in hers as she passed.

“I could kiss you right now,” said Natasha.

Pepper smirked. “What’s stopping you?”

~~~~

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

“Uunnnnggghhhhhh,” Tony whined as he opened his eyes. “Can’t they shut that damn thing off?”

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “Morning, sunshine.”

“How long was I out?” Tony asked.

“Half an hour or so,” Rhodey replied.

Suddenly, Bruce burst out laughing. “What is it?” Tony asked.

“Pepper and Nat—they’re on their way back, but Nat just messaged me on Snapchat—oh my God, Tony, this is going to be hilarious—”

“What did she say?” Tony asked.

“Okay, so they went back to your house,” Bruce explained. “And apparently Pepper _went off_ on Howard. Nat took a video—here it comes, okay, we _have_ to see this.”

The three of them leaned in close to each other as Bruce played the video. “Holy shit,” Rhodey deadpanned. “She deserves flowers and a party of her own.”

“We should have one as soon as they let me out,” said Tony. “Am I gonna be here awhile?”

“Christie said you can leave in an hour or so, but then you have to go right home and rest.”

“It’s a good thing Mama’s letting us come over,” said Rhodey. “I don’t think Pepper’s gonna be allowed at your house for a while.”

“Yeah, probably not,” said Tony. “God, that was hilarious. I don’t think Howard’s ever been told off by a woman in his life.”

Just then, Natasha and Pepper walked in. Pepper had snowflakes caught in the fluffy hood of her jacket. “Our hero has returned!” Tony crowed. “Give her a hand, folks.”

“Oh, come on,” Pepper said as the others began clapping and cheering. “I’m hardly a hero—”

“Nope,” Tony interrupted. “Let us praise you, Pep. You’re fucking incredible.”

Pepper rolled her eyes as she walked over to Tony’s side. “Good to see you’re doing better, Tony. Did Christie say how long you have to be here?”

“About an hour,” said Tony. “And then we’re throwing you a party at Rhodey’s.”

“We really are,” said Rhodey. “I just told Mama, and she’s making chicken and rice for you. And brownies, I think. Something about how she wasn’t sure what to make for dinner, but now she knows.”

Pepper all but started to salivate. “Mama Rhodes is the real hero here.”

Tony shook his head. “Seriously, Pepper. You’re amazing.”

“Thanks, Tony.” Pepper lightly squeezed Tony’s shoulder. “You are too.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well would you look at that! The last chapter!
> 
> As promised, it's time to reveal my person, and it was [MCUsic_to_my_ears](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears)! It was SO MUCH FUN to write this for you and I really hope you like it! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
> 
> Thank you again to Amber ([tumblr](https://just-banner.tumblr.com/) • [Ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pourmyselfoverhim/pseuds/Tired%20Science%20Bro)) for organizing this event! Amber and I are working on a piece together, so stay tuned!

The ride back to Rhodey’s was a party in itself.

Pepper had been all but forced into shotgun with a crown on her head, while Tony squished in the middle to snuggle against Bruce, half-requesting, half-demanding that they blast Christmas music. Rhodey had obliged—for what it was worth, he had a fondness for Christmas music as well—and within seconds, they were all singing along at the top of their lungs.

“I love you all, y’know that?” Tony asked as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” ended. “You’re the best friends I could ever ask for.”

“We love you too, Tones,” Rhodey said as Bruce kissed the top of Tony’s head. Natasha gently patted Tony’s knee.

“Rhodey, your house is so beautiful!” Pepper pointed at the twinkling lights decorating Rhodey’s house. “You always do such a great job putting up the lights.”

“If you think that’s great, you’ll love the tree,” said Rhodey. “Kiarah and some of her friends decorated it, and it’s gorgeous.”

“Is she home?” Pepper asked. “Kiarah, that is.”

“Yeah, and I think one of the friends who helped her decorate it is, too. Esperanza.”

“Awww, Esperanza’s such a sweetheart,” said Pepper. “Nat and I babysat her and Kiarah a few months ago when you took your mom out for her birthday.”

“I remember that,” said Rhodey. “Both of them were talking about how much they liked you for days. They’ll be psyched to see you.”

Sure enough, as soon as Rhodey opened the door, two girls came running down the hall and practically threw themselves at Pepper and Natasha.

“Girls, let them come inside!” a voice called from the end of the hallway. “Come back here and help me set the table.”

“They’re so cute,” Natasha said as the two girls ran back to the kitchen.

“Not when you’re living with one of them,” said Rhodey.

“You’re full of crap,” said Tony. “You adore Kiarah, and everyone knows it.”

“Oh my goodness, Kiarah, is this your tree?”

Tony turned to see that Pepper was admiring the Christmas tree, covered in lights and ornaments. Kiarah and Esperanza ran out of the kitchen to join her.

“Esperanza and Nadia helped me decorate it,” said Kiarah.

“You all did a great job,” said Pepper. “It looks beautiful!” She waved the others over. “Come and see this!”

“Wow,” said Natasha as she approached. “Nice work, girls.”

“Did you see the lights outside?” Kiarah asked. “Jamie did those.”

“We sure did,” said Pepper. “They were awesome.”

“Girls, I told you to help me—” Roberta Rhodes came into the living room holding a serving spoon.

“Mama, Pepper wanted to know about the tree.”

“Hey, Mama Rhodes,” said Pepper. “Sorry to take the girls from you.”

“Oh, it’s okay,” said Roberta. “Dinner’s ready, so how about you come in and eat?”

“Sounds great,” said Natasha. “Tony, are you doing alright?”

“I’m fine,” said Tony. “Mama Rhodes is here to fuss over me. Take the rest of the night off.”

“You got that right,” said Roberta. “When I got the call from that nurse, I nearly had a heart attack. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

“I mean, I probably also nearly had a heart attack,” said Tony. “But that’s just par for the course for me.”

“Tony Stark, don’t you make jokes about that,” Roberta warned. “You’re gonna jinx yourself. Now come inside and eat.”

“Pepper, why was Mama Rhodes so excited that you were coming over?” Esperanza asked. “She kept saying all this nice stuff about you.”

Pepper looked over at Tony. “D’you want to explain to them?”

“Oh, definitely,” said Tony. “But you do it. I wasn’t there.”

“Well,” said Pepper. “Basically, Tony’s dad was being…”

“Terrible,” Tony suggested.

“Yeah, basically. He was being terrible, and I said so.”

“Tony’s dad is terrible a lot, isn’t he,” Kiarah said quietly. “Jamie tells me sometimes.”

“Kiarah,” Rhodey warned, but Tony shook his head.

“It’s okay. My dad is pretty terrible,” he said. “But it’s okay. I have plenty of people in my life who aren’t terrible—like you and your mama and brother.”

“And we’re so glad to have you in our lives,” said Roberta. “Now have a seat, before this food gets cold.”

~~~~

“Okay, I have to ask,” said Pepper. “Kiarah, who did your hair? It looks gorgeous!”

“Esperanza did,” Kiarah replied. “And I did hers.”

“Y’know,” said Pepper, “we were all going to do each other’s hair later tonight, but I think you two might be able to do it better than Nat or I could. Wanna do our hair for us after dinner?”

_ “YES!”  _ they both shouted simultaneously.

“Girls,” Roberta reprimanded. “Inside voices, please.”

“Sorry, Mama.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” said Tony. “I have a brilliant idea.”

“You say that all of your ideas are brilliant, Tones,” Rhodey pointed out.

Tony muttered something about  _ y’know what, platypus  _ under his breath before returning to his idea. “What if you two ladies were to compete by doing Nat and Pepper’s hair, and the winner…”

“I don’t like where this is going,” said Bruce.

Tony smirked, squeezing his boyfriend’s leg under the table. “The winner gets to do Bruce’s hair.”

Bruce groaned loudly, but Kiarah and Esperanza were utterly ecstatic.

~~~~

**[[New Stories]]**

**peaklesbionage:** when your best friend is the best sport **@onedayadoctor**

**peppersgrace:** Pretty sure that  **@starkrefusal** just fell in love all over again. I’ve never seen him so ecstatic.

**onedayadoctor:** I think I may have to wear braids more often…  **@starkrefusal** what do you think?

**starkrefusal:** Help I’ve fallen for  **@onedayadoctor** and I can’t get up

**[[Instagram]]**

**warmachinerox:** Kiarah and her friend gave  **@peaklesbionage** ,  **@onedayadoctor** , and  **@peppersgrace** makeovers.

> **rogersthat:** Why didn’t  **@starkrefusal** get one?
> 
> **starkrefusal:** Bold of you to presume that I need one  **@rogersthat**
> 
> **wandatothemax:** looking great, tasha <3  **@peaklesbionage**
> 
> **peaklesbionage:** Thx love, tell your brother I say hi!
> 
> **genderfluidgxth:** They can come over and do my hair any time
> 
> **starkrefusal:** We’ll keep you in mind for next time, Lokes

~~~~

_ Three hours later… _

“I still can’t believe your mom lets us all stay in one room,” said Tony, sipping his third mug of Mama Rhodes’ famous hot chocolate. “She knows that Bruce and I are dating, right?”

“Oh, she knows,” said Rhodey. “She’s counting on thin walls, a tattletale daughter next door, and Pepper Potts to keep everyone in line.”

“I mean, that’s a pretty solid system,” said Tony. “Minus the fact that Pepper and Nat are dating.”

“It’s still a solid system,” said Nat. “Pepper and I are plenty responsible and mature.”

“Except in my backseat,” Rhodey retorted. That got everyone to laugh.

They’d dragged air mattresses and sleeping bags and pillows and blankets out from the closet and Rhodey’s room and spread them around Rhodey’s basement. Pepper had situated herself on Rhodey’s beanbag chair, Natasha leaning against her legs. Tony was sitting on the floor, carefully taking the accessories out of Bruce’s hair and running his fingers through it. He pressed a kiss to Bruce’s shoulder.

“Almost done,” he said softly. “You’re doing great.”

“Tony, it’s just braids,” said Bruce. “You’re not actually hurting me.”

“I know, I know,” said Tony, wrapping his arms around Bruce’s waist and squeezing lightly. He yawned. “Damn, I know I took a nap in the hospital, but I’m still so tired.”

“We can keep it chill for the rest of the night,” said Rhodey. “Watch a movie or something.”

They ended up watching some of the Christmas movies that Tony hadn’t seen yet (“because you were denied a childhood, you poor thing,” Natasha had cooed). Tony had stretched out across one of the couches to rest his head in Bruce’s lap, and Bruce couldn’t help but marvel at the way Tony’s eyes lit up at the smallest things—a musical number, a pretty bit of animation or cinematography, a touching scene. Meanwhile, Natasha was curled up in Pepper’s arms on one side of the other couch, and Rhodey took the other side.

“This is perfect,” Tony said quietly, nuzzling into Bruce’s hand as it carded through his hair. “Thanks for everything, guys. You’re all the best.”

“Aww, Tony…” Bruce took Tony’s hand and kissed it. “You don’t need to thank us.”

“You really don’t,” said Rhodey.

“You saved my life. I think that deserves thanks.”

“You’d do the same for us,” said Rhodey.

“I mean…”

“Shhh,” Pepper said firmly. “Nope. You don’t need to thank us.”

Tony opened his mouth, but Pepper gave him a  _ look  _ and he fell silent.

“Okay,” he said quietly.

“Hey, it’s past midnight,” said Bruce. “Christmas Day.”

“Do I get a Christmas kiss?” Tony teased. Bruce rolled his eyes, but pulled him up so that they could kiss properly.

“Merry Christmas, Tony,” he said softly.

Tony smiled. “Merry Christmas.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @hyperchaoticstarlight, marvel-at-these-gays, tinytonys, and scienceshipping.
> 
> DM marvel-at-these-gays if you're interested in joining the Scienceshipping Discord Server!


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